OPINION: The Love Story Between 'Baaghi' Franchise & 'The Conjuring' Universe Is Deeper Than You Think

Baaghi’s Journey from Phenomenon to Hesitation

The Baaghi franchise has been more than just films; it has been shorthand for Tiger Shroff’s stardom. Baaghi 1 set the ball rolling, but Baaghi 2 was the true eruption, transforming Shroff into a bankable action hero. By the time Baaghi 3 arrived, cinemas were weeks away from lockdown.

That film became a strange cultural bookmark, the last blockbuster experience before theatres went dark.

Now Baaghi 4 arrives in a post pandemic market with a more skeptical audience. A 12 crore opening day is good by current standards but nowhere close to the explosive heights the series once touched. What was once a guaranteed adrenaline rush at the box office now feels like an exercise in cautious optimism.

The Conjuring’s Day of Reckoning

The Conjuring franchise, meanwhile, has always been the quiet overachiever in India. The second film, in 2016, earned a lifetime total of 62 crore here, a remarkable feat for horror cinema. Yet no one could have predicted what The Conjuring: Last Rites would unleash.

An opening of 18 crore on day one is not just impressive, it is seismic. The number eclipses the entire lifetime collection of the first film in the series in India. More startlingly, it pulled this off while going up against a massy domestic franchise that once looked untouchable.

A Hollywood horror film taking down a Bollywood action tentpole would have been laughable a decade ago. Today it feels like a headline that writes itself.

Audiences Are No Longer Playing Safe

This clash is less about competition and more about audience psychology. In the pre pandemic world Baaghi 4 would have opened at 20 crore plus without breaking a sweat. Meanwhile horror would be treated as a niche genre with a loyal but limited audience.

The tables have turned. Viewers are now choosier with their wallets, less likely to forgive recycled storytelling, and more willing to reward consistency over stardom.

The Conjuring has built its reputation over time. Even its spinoffs, whether Annabelle or The Nun, have held their ground in India. Baaghi, by contrast, is struggling under the weight of its own formula, at least to some extent.

Shroff’s physicality is still remarkable, but the impact of his high octane stunts has dulled with repetition. The audience’s loyalty has quietly shifted toward content that delivers what it promises. Don't get me wrong. The film is still finding and audience and might even build further but the Day 1 analysis is one to behold.

A Twist That May Not Be Temporary

The irony of this face off is delicious. The Conjuring: Last Rites is the final installment, a farewell to the main saga. Baaghi on the other hand will likely march on, its producers convinced there is still more to squeeze out of the franchise. Yet this week proved that it is not the size of the franchise but the trust it commands that decides who wins opening day.

For Tiger Shroff, a double digit opening is still a relief after a string of misfires. For The Conjuring team, the Indian response is validation that horror here has graduated from side act to main event. More importantly, this battle is not an anomaly. It signals a deeper recalibration in audience taste, one that puts content ahead of spectacle.

The roar of Baaghi is no longer enough. Sometimes silence, or in this case a chilling whisper in the dark, can speak louder.